Buckle-strap construction

ABSTRACT

A method for securing a strap to a buckle formed of nonresilient material and the buckle and strap construction resulting therefrom, said buckle being constituted by two side pieces joined by two end cross pieces and two spaced central cross pieces with oppositely facing serrated edges defining a slot therebetween, said method comprising threading the strap through the serrated slot and thereafter compressing the central pieces toward each other to firmly grip and secure the strap.

. application Ser. No. 3

1 BUCKLE-STRAP CONSTRUCTION CROSS-REFERENCE-TO RELATED `A PPLICATION This application is a continuation-impart of U.S. Pat. 33,0l 4.file`d Feb. i6. i973, nowV abandoned. Q y

aAcKoaouNDgQF ln the manufacture of strap and and the like. it is recognizedthatla*portionyofthestrapj;

should be firmly secured (to th'ejbuckletofpreventslip'`j page or creep" of the buckle ande/or strapjasliwell'as to permit strap lengthadjustability. it is further required that the buckle construction and themethod for` securing the strap thereto be readilyapplicableto awideva I riety of straps regardless of strap thicknessginthepast, straps have been Vsecured to the buckle'merely byrnaf nipulating a portion of the strap in and around a central buckle slot. Such a technique does not, however, provide a permanent connection. there being'the'distinctrpossibility of the strap unravelinguonjthe buekle'and thereby destroying the effectiveness of thestrap and f lonvexnrhgn Inlghsllmancr' :mekistim ap 4preach]` is 'falsojaa significant improvement over i the then stitching, laminating or otherwise `attaching lthe 1 buckle assembly; Othersecuring"techniques"havein eluded passing the strap throughthe central slot and 2. y SUMMBYQFIHE INVENTiON inV accordance'withthis `inventiona'frnethodV isprovidedfor firmlyllsecu'rin'g as trap toa buckle-wherein tbs-.Strap iSQ-this'adsd,lthiaslisssntfal-Slat defina@ by 'cndffcfossi pieces if? i.

receiving slot;permitsysatisfactory engagement with a' end of the strap to other parts thereof aswell as a`pply-` ing beads, folds, clips or other buik means to the en'd of the strap to preventits being pulled back through the buckle. However, these techniques are also disadvantages insofar as they do not provideptight, effective I locking of the strap while frequently causing unsightly i and irritating bulk in thearea ofthe buckle.

A further method for securing thestrapto a buckle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,192,587. White. This technique utilizes abuckle which has acentral strap slot and ehich is formed of a resilient plasticmaterial. The cross bars defining the strap slot are then elastically spread apart to a width greater than the thickness of the strap. the strap threaded through the spread bars` and the bars then released to grip the strap. The difficulties which may be encountered withthis procedure includes the possibility that the plasticgbarsmaytend t.

not to return to their original positionfsubsequent to spreading thereby providing insuffieienfgripping pressure on the strap, that theresilientbars may be subjected to inadvertent spreading as a result of laundering or normal handling therebyy freeing the strap, and that the plastic itself may not be able tosupply sufficient` pressure to firmly grip the strap. With each of these occurrences, the primary characteristic of theassembly may be nullified. v f

it is the prime object of this invention to provide a strap and buckle construction of the type described in which the strap is firmly secured tothev buckle.

it is a further object to provide an improved method for securing a portion of the strap to avbuckle. e

lt is still a further, object .to provide Labuckle construction suitable for use with thelatterinethocl.'

it is another objectto providesuchan improved method which ls generally applicable to a wide variety of strap thicknesses. r

. utilization of "anonresilienf materiali-.for the .buckle constructionperrnitssthelpermanent compression of the centralrss `pieeesanizlj'eliminates` the possibility of -any inadvertentspreading thereof Iduringlaundering or Whitefftechnique. Thus,';byutiliaingf,a non-resilient buckle materialand ia` comprt-.ssioni st ep rather `than a resilient plastic materialand an "expansion-step, the instant approach avoids any reliance on the inherent ability of thebuckle material to return to its original gripping `configurati'oniorfto exert sufficient vnatural pressure toeffectivelysecurethe strap. ltindeed provides an affirmative,""controllableapproach to thelproblem.

` DESCRiPTlNDF-THE DRAWING Tothe `accomplishment of the above, and to such otherobjects as may hereinafter appear, the present ini vetttion,` -relate's to 1 a @buckle-:strap .construction *and method of assembling same asdefinedin the appended `claims and as described'in thisfspecification. taken together with the.accompanying'enlarged drawings. in which: 1;;

LFlGlisa'persp .4 the present invention;

ctive viewi of a buckle-applicable to of thebuckle and strap assemblyof this invention; 1 i t e e FIG.` 3 isa cross sectional view of the'assembly of L FIG. 2 is atop planv FlG.-2, taken along liney33 thereof;

' FlGsAis atop plan view lfa buckle applicable to a second embodiment ofthe present inventionzand `i FIG.v Sis atop planelevationai view of the`buckle and strap assembly of the sec djembodime'nt of the present invention. y V

DETAILED DESCRlPTiONOFyTl-lE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. l deplcts'abuckle applicablef'tothe instant invention. it isseen that bucklell)is"essentiaily planar `and isfformedlias byifa,stamping',technique,A of aonepiece nnonfresilienfntiiteriilsuchjasa `metal-like aluminum o'rfsteeL Buckle 1,0.,-is constituted by two side "piec'eslZ, which are joined at "the Sends thereof by two endcros'spieces '16', 18and ,intermediate the ends by two central cross pieces 20, 22 thus defining central strap slot 24 and outer strap slots 26, 28. Theopposing facing edges 30, 32 of cross pieces 20, 22 'are serrated to provide a firmer gripon thesubsequentlysecured' strap. Central strap slot 24 is'formedtoexhibita widthf-lr j at least equalto andusually greateif:tharithethickness]` of conventional garmenttstrapsftliereby-,to'accommoi`;` date-a largevariety offstraps'vexhibitingfaf'diversityof strap thicknesses. For example.fa slot width'of 'apprenti mately '3/ 32 inch was found to l"accoi'iiniotlatesubstari-"y tially all conventional strap;thickriesseaf#` ai The manner in which `a strap is firi'nly secured:ttitth'etl4 buckle is depicted in FlG. 2Thus,"garm'entstrap 34-isy threaded through bucklev 10Uby inserting lafre'efend 36 of strap 34 between cross pieces 20, 22`throu`fghslotj24, i the width of slot 24 being greaiter thanthe thieknessof` t. strap '34. Once the appropriateflen'gthfgf strap 34`h'asj passed through slot 24; cross?pieces'jf20222larefcoinf pressed toward eachotherin thefdirectioff A and B51" generally in the plane of bucklel untilserrated edges" chinery. ln either event, crossfpiece 20,22 will'retain their deformed configuration ensuring thesubstantially permanent attachment o t'strap 34. 5o bucklelO.

30, 32 firmly grip strap"34."Compressiori"may'lbe'acf complshed manuallyas by meailis of ajpairfof pliers or the like, or by means of automatedcompressing ma-y f' ther be constructedof a grasping of the garm tivA piece' 22A causedfrayingoflthe gar nt inventionillustratedthefreinfis "ntstrapfii infslot 50, 52, 54,'a'long the non'serratededges'of thef'centra'l i cross pieces 20, 22`fadjacentlfeachQofthe'fconnection -v points'4046 of the.central`cross"pieces 20,' 22 withside The general threadingof strap;34 through buckle' l0 i may be then determined by theQpractitioner in accordance with his particular requirements,the manner of threading forming nopartof the instant invention. A]

typical threading approach is depicted ingFlGS. 2 ,and`

3 wherein the free end 36 of vstrap 34 is passed through slot 28,over cross piece 22,'through`central slot 24, and under cross piece 20. The'other portion ofstrap34 is continued throughasupport membertnotlshown), looped back-under end piece `l8,=througli slot28,'over cross piece 22, slot 24 and crosspiec'e 20, then through pieces 12,1 14. The :fabove referenced` non-serrated edgesfmay also bereferred to, both before or afterthe compression step',as yT non-engaging?. edges as` such edges do not engagethe portionof. garment strap 34 withinthe central strapslot 24; or,. before the com pres-,t sion step','as 4non-linear' nonfengagiiig' edges" as the cut outs 48-,54 linte`ri'upt",any. linearityjof-- such.. edges priory to collapse of the ,cut outs',f .fihese edges .participate, in a'definitionbf theouterstrapslots2|6,28,just

slot 26 and under end'piece 16.fln this manner,=the

strap is firmly secured in the buckle while being readily adjustable to provide various strap` lengths. Such adjustment may be made merely by loosening the load on the buckle and thenshiftng it in the desired direction.`

Referring now to FlG'S. land 2 in particular, the first embodiment of the present invention show therein has i not been found to be entirely satisfactory in use dueto a weakening of the buckleconstriictionat the connec tion points 40, 42, 44, 46 of the central cross pie`ces'20,

as the serrated edges 30, 32`participate inthe definition i of thejcentrall strap slot 24. Preferably thecutouts .48 54ar'egenerallysemi-circular in configuration and iitendfabut halfwaythrough thegcross pieces 20', 22, as shownin FlG. 4, whilethe non-serrated Aedgesofthe cross pieces 20,-22 are`substantially linear between the cut-outs at'each end, also as `shownin FIG. 5. Alternatively, however, each cut-out maybecontigured as a 22 to the side pieces `12,14 after the central'cross pieces 20, l l weakening at the conneetion'jpoints`4046 `is believed to result from the ularly the non-linearity `of the' nonLserra'ted-edge of the central cross piece 22 which must resist the bulk ofthe transverse pressure applied "during'use by thegarment strap 34 and tending to pullthe' centralcrosspiece2.2 from its connection points 44,'46with the sidepiec'es l2, I4. A further and relateddisadvantage of thefirst embodiment is the failure of the convexlybowed se'rrated edges 30,32 of the central cross pieces 20, 22 to grasp the garment strap34therebetween wlthequal pressure along theentirewldth'ot` the strap 34 due to the convex bowing ofthe'centralicrosslpiecesj2t), 22',

during the compression step.`Thus,` astheLforces applied to the strap 34 by theserrated edg'es"3 0, 32are not evenly distributed'alorigthewidth'roftand so tend to cause tearing of) the'strap' 34, the buckle l0 must ei- 22 are compressed towards each other.. The

t non-linearity foffthe'` central. cross pieces 20, 22 ln the finished assembly,and more partic' U, ,V orflo'ther shape convenient forstamping operations and may extend more or t less-` than halfway throughthe cross piece; also, the non-serrated edge between' the" cut-outsneed not 4be linear," provided in all cases` that*Y the resultsldescribed hereinafter are obtainedduring the compression step. li /hen'the,central cross pieces 4'20 225re subsequently compressed towards .one ,anotherg tiieyf assume.` the'.E configuration movement" of the Vcross pieceslrelative to the connecamount of materialrequired toconstruct the buckle i0 (thereby also slightlyreducing the weight and manufacturing cost ofthe buckle l0), substantially eleminates c? l any Vtearingofl the garment strap 34 by more equally eai;s lirfacetliroughoubits majorfportionand including t adjace'n each`eridthereof-a`notch in asubstantially coltion points40-46, and significantly reduces fraying 0'f 'e f the outer-edges of garment strap 34 jby moregequallyndistributingfthe forces applied by themen-serrated, o i o o f l ifgeffhei'i'assemblyiof claim; 413u/,herein said cross pieces toff v widthefjsaidy strap 'slots edges of the central cross pieces 20,22 along the entire width of the garment strap 34. l t y Summarizing, it is seen that the improvement inthe novel buckle and strap assembly of the presentlinveni tion are primarily attributable to theuse of a non-` resilient material in forming the buckle and tothe compression of the cross pieces'definirig" the central strapreceiving slot. Thus` the strap is firmly secured between the compressed cross pieces, the non-resiliency thereof insuring the retention of the cross pieces in their compressed configuration. A further improvement is attributable to the cut-outs rin the uncompressed bucklevat either end of the central cross pieces where the nori'- -r` f engaging edges thereof join the side pieces. y

While the invention has been described in terms of the specific embodiments herein, it shoulebe apparent that variations may be developed without departing from the spirit or scope of therinvention as defined by the following claims.

We claim: t l

l. A buckle and strap assembly comprising a buckle formed of essentially non-resilient deformable material and having a pair of elongated sidepieces, a pair of cross pieces joining said side pieces intermediate their ends and having inner edges defining a strap slot therebetween, and a strap inserted through said strap slot, said cross pieces being bent inwardly toward one another thereby to engage and firmly secure said strap, at least one of said crosspieces having a non-engaging outer edge defining a continuous and substantially linpieces;havegtibrmiaiiy:linear?han Alga-pair of elongatedgsidegpieces;

engagel saidstrap; substantial u.

kSelina" buckle'foruse`v in abuckle andstrap assembly comprising crsspiecesjoining the ends of said "sidelpiecesfandf i C. a pair offcentralI cross-pieces joiningsaid side t 'pieces ntermedatejsaid endsthereof, each of said .central cross pieces having l vii. inner 'edge facir'iggrthefotherjof saidl central f ross pieces to define a central slottherebetween [`adaptefd I to Aerigaginglyzrecei-vea strap threaded A:ftliertthiough `when said ice'ritral crosspieces ,are y compressed towards one another about the strap;

iifan'outer edge facing ofne of said end cross pieces `to define an outerstrap slot therebetween;

' the improvementwherein said'buckle isformed of essentially non-resilient deformable material and Ysaid outer edges a of :said `central cross pieces includenotchesat the junctures thereof with said side pieces and are essentially continuous and linear intermediate said notches, said notches being adaptedftobe vcollapsed during compression of said central cross pieces.

6. The buckle of claimS wherein said inner edges of 'said central cross pieces'are serrated.

, *i i il lll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3 a 869 a 763 Dated March ll 1975' Herman W. Senk et al. Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Insert the attached sheet of drawing as part of Letters Patent 3,869,763.

March ll, 1975 Patent No.

Page 2 m n s .S .m .d m .u md D" arl LW S a um vl wm d a l P l D Aa a n. m C m .d .n W .m nm m .wb c" 5.

Attest.'

RUTH C. MASON Altestmg Officer 

1. A buckle and strap assembly comprising a buckle formed of essentially non-resilient deformable material and having a pair of elongated side pieces, a pair of cross pieces joining said side pieces intermediate their ends and having inner edges defining a strap slot therebetween, and a strap inserted through said strap slot, said cross pieces being bent inwardly toward one another thereby to engage and firmly secure said strap, at least one of said cross pieces having a non-engaging outer edge defining a continuous and substantially linear surface throughout its major portion and including adjacent each end thereof a notch in a substantially collapsed condition.
 1. A buckle and strap assembly comprising a buckle formed of essentially non-resilient deformable material and having a pair of elongated side pieces, a pair of cross pieces joining said side pieces intermediate their ends and having inner edges defining a strap slot therebetween, and a strap inserted through said strap slot, said cross pieces being bent inwardly toward one another thereby to engage and firmly secure said strap, at least one of said cross pieces having a non-engaging outer edge defining a continuous and substantially linear surface throughout its major portion and including adjacent each end thereof a notch in a substantially collapsed condition.
 2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said non-engaging edge has a collapsed notch at each end thereof.
 3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein both of said cross pieces have substantially linear non-engaging edges.
 4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said cross pieces engage said strap substantially uniformly along the width of said strap slot.
 5. In a buckle for use in a buckle and strap assembly comprising A. a pair of elongated side pieces; B. a pair of end cross pieces joining the ends of said side pieces; and C. a pair of central cross pieces joining said side pieces intermediate said ends thereof, each of said central cross pieces having i. an inner edge facing the other of said central cross pieces to define a central slot therebetween adapted to engagingly receive a strap threaded therethrough when said central cross pieces are compressed towards one another about the strap; and ii. an outer edge facing one of said end cross pieces to define an outer strap slot therebetween; the improvement wherein said buckle is formed of essentially non-resilient deformable material and said outer edges of said central cross pieces include notches at the junctures thereof with said side pieces and are essentially continuous and linear intermediate said notches, said notches being adapted to be collapsed during compression of said central cross pieces. 